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Announcing Access MIT

June 14, 2016

Dear MIT faculty and staff,

I am delighted to share the launch of Access MIT, an expanded program of commuting benefits designed to offer faculty and staff more flexible and affordable transportation options. Access MIT embraces the goals of MIT's Plan for Action on Climate Change, and is a visible demonstration of our commitment to lowering MIT's commuter-related emissions. The program will launch MIT as a leader in offering affordable access to public transportation.

Beginning with the new academic year, all Cambridge campus benefits-eligible employees, including parkers, will have access to free subway and local bus passes, and commuter rail subsidies will be increased. In addition, we will shift from annual to daily pay-per-day parking plans at MIT gated lots, providing parkers with the flexibility to explore lower cost, sustainable options throughout the year. Maximum annual parking expense will be capped at the price of an annual parking permit in non-gated lots to accommodate commuters without easy access to public transit options.

New Access MIT benefits include:

Free MBTA subway and local bus access with chips embedded in new MIT ID cards;

Pay-per-day parking plans at MIT gated lots, with expense capped at $1,760 (the price for a 2016-17 academic year annual parking permit in non-gated lots);

Increased commuter rail subsidy from 50% to 60%; and

Subsidized parking of 50% at MBTA stations, up to $100 per month.

A link to the full description of benefits is provided below.

Beginning next week and through the summer, the Office of Parking and Transportation will reach out to every department on campus with instructions for replacing existing ID cards for those that wish to take advantage of the Access MIT pass. New cards will have an embedded chip to enable free MBTA subway and local bus access. I encourage you to explore these expanded benefits and replace your ID card this summer, whether you drive, take transit, walk or bike to work.

With Access MIT, the Institute will be one of the largest employers in the state to provide this level of universal transit benefits. I want to express my gratitude to the members of the Committee for Transportation and Parking for their dedication in bringing these new commuting options to our campus.

Sincerely,
Israel Ruiz

Program information:
Read about the new program in this news article.
Learn about the details of the program on the Commuter Connections website.